Religious progressives launch new network

More than 1,200 spiritual progressives gathered in Berkeley, California, in July for a national conference to build an organization for the spiritual and religious left.

Dubbed the Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP), the new organization seeks to challenge not only religious convervatives, but America's materialistic culture and the antireligious bias among secular liberals, said conference architect Michael Lerner, a rabbi and editor of Tikkun magazine.

"The monologue of the religious right is finally over," said socially liberal evangelical Jim Wallis, who edits Sojourners magazine. Speakers included linguist George Lakoff and retired Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong.

Another conference is planned February 10-13 in Washington. –Religion News Service